MADISON, Wis. -- Four members of the University of Michigan women's track and field team scored points to lead the Wolverines on the second day of the Big Ten Outdoor Championships on Saturday (May 12) at Wisconsin's McClimon Track. U-M is currently in eighth place with 19 points, while Wisconsin is leading the 11-team conference with 52 points heading into the final day of competition.

Sophomore Alex Leptich(Ann Arbor, Mich./Saline) finished runner-up in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 10:12.73. She remained in front of the lead pack from the gun and established position in first place with about three laps to go. On the bell lap, Leptich began pulling away after the final water jump, but Michigan State's Leah O'Connor caught up to her on the straightway and edged past her in the final 20 meters.

Sophomore heptathlete Erin Busbee(Cleveland, Ohio/Collinwood) rounded out the seven-event competition with a lifetime-best 5,336 points to finish fourth overall. Busbee recorded personal-best marks in five of the seven events. On the final day, she reached a distance of 5.80 meters (19-0.50) to finish second in the long jump and ran a career-best time of 2:32.06 in the 800-meter run.

Fifth-year senior thrower Emily Pendleton(Lindsey, Ohio/Woodmore) scored in her second throwing event of the meet, advancing to the finals of the shot put, where she finished seventh with a toss of 15.50 meters (50-10.25).

In the long jump, senior/junior Tofunmi Akeredolu(Southfield, Mich./Lathrup) advanced to the finals, where she finished sixth with a mark of 5.90 meters (19-4.25).

Michigan had three athletes each qualify for the tomorrow's (Sunday, May 13) finals in two events. Sophomore Amber Smith(Cleveland, Ohio/Collinwood) advanced to the finals of the 100- and 400-meter hurdles, clocking personal-best times of 13.64 and 59.22, respectively. She was fourth overall in the 100 hurdles and fifth in the 400 hurdles.

Junior/sophomore Jillian Smith (Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional) and junior Rebecca Addison(Spring Lake, Mich./Grand Haven) both qualified for finals in the 800- and 1,500-meter run. In the 1,500-meter run, Addison ran a time of 4:24.96, while Smith finished in 4:25.59. Later in the 800-meter run, Smith stopped the watch at 2:07.97 and Addison ran a time of 2:08.12. Addison will attempt to defend her 1,500-meter title from the 2011 Big Ten Outdoor Championships.

The 4x100-meter relay also earned a spot in the finals, finishing ninth in a season-best time of 46.39. The relay was comprised of junior Ada Unachukwu(Morganville, N.J./Marlboro), Amber Smith, senior Shelby Hines (Marietta, Ga./Wheeler) and junior Charlotte Cahill(Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington).

Michigan will compete in the triple jump, discus, pole vault, high jump, 5,000-meter run and 4x400-meter relay, as well as the finals of the 4x100-meter relay, 1,500-meter, 100-meter hurdles, 800-meter and 400-meter hurdles. Action at the McClimon Complex will begin at 11 a.m. CDT on Sunday.